SAE International to Honor Honda Aircraft Company President Michimasa Fujino with Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson Aerospace Vehicle Design and Development Award

WARRENDALE, Pa., U.S.A., August 19, 2014 - Dr. Michimasa Fujino, President and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company, will be honored with the SAE International Clarence L. (Kelly) Johnson Aerospace Vehicle Design and Development Award. Fujino will receive the award during the SAE 2015 AeroTech Congress & Exposition, which will be held Sept. 22-24, 2015, in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Established in 1992, the award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves by making significant contributions during their career in the innovative design and development of advanced aircraft and/or spacecraft. It’s made possible through a fund established by the Lockheed Advanced Development Company.

Fujino is responsible for the research and development, production, sales and marketing of the innovative HondaJet. Fujino rose through the engineering ranks to become a vice president with Honda R&D Americas Inc., and named the project leader for the HondaJet. He led all design tasks of the HondaJet through advanced analysis, experimental verification and flight testing.

Fujino’s clean sheet design for an advanced light jet that could achieve both higher speed and higher fuel efficiency led to the development of key HondaJet technologies. He discovered the optimum Over-The-Wing Engine Mount configuration, which reduces wave drag at a high Mach number, and applied it to the HondaJet design. This aeronautical breakthrough was proven to greatly enhance aircraft performance, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. He also developed a new natural laminar flow (NLF) wing and fuselage nose for the light jet with application of a new concept composite construction to the fuselage structure. These innovations allow the HondaJet to achieve highest speed, superior fuel efficiency and the most cabin and luggage space over other light jets in its class.

Fujino has been the recipient of numerous international awards and distinctions, including the International Council of Aeronautical Sciences Innovation Award (2014), American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aircraft Design Award (2012), Aviation Week and Technology’s Vision Award (2008) and the Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences (JSASS) Technology Award (2004). His research and theories on aircraft design, advanced aerodynamics and aeroelasticity have been published in numerous technical and academic journals, and he holds several patents.

SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting more than 145,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™.